Key ejector case



NOV. 25, 1952 K, W, GOQDSON 2,618,958

KEY EJECTOR CASE v Filed Sept. l, 1950 7 l l l 1156 'jk-( J4.

ATTDRN EYE Patented Nov. 25,4 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEYEJECTO-R CASE Kenneth Wayland Goodson, Hampton, Va.

Application September 1, 1950, Serial No. 182,791 3 Claims. (C1.vil-456) This invention relates to key cases of the pocket type and inwhich one or a plurality of keys may be retained, and in particular akey case having a spring therein for ejecting a key about a pivotalmounting when the key is released and also a spring for actuating alatch or cam for retaining the key within the case.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for readily ejecting aselected key from a case whereby the time required for picking out a keyfrom a bunch of keys is eliminated.

In the conventional type of key case and particularly where one hand isotherwise engaged it is diflicult to select one key and separate it fromthe other keys of the case so that it may be held for use. With thisthought in mind this invention contemplates a key case having a cam or aplurality of cams whereby upon operation of the cam of a selected keythe key is instantly ejected and the shaft thereof may readily beextended and resiliently held in the extended position for use.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for forminga key case whereby a key pivotally mounted in one end thereof may beturned into a slot of the case and snapped under a cam whereby it isretained in the case until it is manually released.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key case having keyretaining and ejecting means therein in which the case is substantiallyof the same size as cases now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a key retaining andejecting key case which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionembodies a key case having a comparatively thin elongated body with keyreceiving slots therein, with means for pivotally mounting keys in theslots, and with double end springs in the slots with one end of thesprings of each slot positioned to actuate a cam` for holding the keyfolded in the slot and the other positioned to eject the key whenreleased by the cam.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal section through one of the key retainingslots of the key case.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the key case.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section similar to that shown in Figure 1illustrating a cam in the key releasing position.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the key case showing part of oneof the ends broken away and showing a key extended for use with the keyheld by one of the ends of the spring.

Figure 5 is also a longitudinal section through the case illustratingthe parts in the position wherein a key is being depressed into thecase.

Figure 6 is a similar section illustrating the key in the position ofsliding the cam backwardly to permit passage of the end of the key intothe slot of the case.

Figure 7 is a cross section through the key case taken on line 'I-'I ofFigure l.

Figure 8 is a similar section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a detail on an enlarged scale illustrating a rear orstraight end of one of the cams.

Figure 10 is a similar view showing the opposite side of the cam. y

Figure 1l is a plan view similar to that shown in Figure 2 illustratinga modification wherein a case is provided for a single key.

Figure l2 is a cross section taken on line I2-I 2 of Figure l1 showing asection through a case for a single key.

Figure 13 is a section showing a detail through the ends of the camretaining slots illustrating the positions of stops in the ends thereof.

Figure 14 is a detail also showing the stops in the ends of the camretaining slots.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts the key ejecting case of this invention includes abody I0 having side walls II and I2 with an intermediate partition I3providing key slots I4 and I5, a plurality of cams I6 and a spring Ilhaving an end I8 positioned to eject a key, as indicated by the numeralI9 and an end 20 positioned to engage the cam I6 for urging the cam inthe position retaining the key in the slot.

'Ihe body I0 of the key case is provided with an opening 2| throughwhich a key chain 22 may be extended, and the lower parts of the slotsIl and I5 are provided with recesses 23 in which the springs I1 aremounted by screws 24 and 25 which extend through plates 26 that arepositioned against the inner surfaces of the springs.

As illustrated in Figure 7 grooves 21 and 28 are; provided in the innersurfaces of the side walls: and intermediate partitions and the cams I6are provided with projecting ledges 29 and 30 bywhich the cams areslidably mounted in ther grooves 21 and 28. The outer ends of thegrooves. are provided with stops 3 I, as illustrated in Figure 14 tolimit outward movement of the cams.

The keys I9 are pivotally mounted in the side `walls and partitions ofthe case -by tubular screws 32 into which screws 33 are threaded, asshown in Figure 8, although it will be understood that the keys may bepivotally mounted in the case by other suitable means.

As illustrated in Figure 4 the side walls and partition of the case areprovided with recesses 34 into which the end of a thumb or finger mayextend when forcing a key into the case, as illustrated in Figure 6 andthe recesses extend from shoulders, as indicated by the numeral 35 ofthe outer part of the case to shoulders 36 at the ends of the stops 3|.

Upon release of a key from the case by sliding one of the cams, asillustrated in Figure 3 the key is snapped upwardly by the end I8 of thespring and the key may be turned over to the position shown in Figure 4where a flat surface 31 on the end thereof is held by the end I8 of thespring to retain the key in the outwardly extended position.

In the design illustrated in Figure 1l the key case 40 is provided for asingle key in which a slot 4l is provided between side walls 42 and 43and a key, as indicated by the numeral 49, is pivotally mounted on a,pin 45 and the opposite end of the key held by a cam 45, similar to thecam IB. The cam is slidably mounted in slots l and 48 and the cam andkey are held by a spring .49 similar to the spring I7 and having endssimilar to the ends I8 and 20.

It will be understood that modifications may .be made in the design andarrangement .of the parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A key case comprising a, body having an open slot in one edge andhaving grooves in the sides opening into the slot, a cam having ledgeson the sides slidably mounted in the grooves of the body, a key having ahead and a shaft positioned in the slot, means pivotally mounting Athekey through the head thereof in the slot, a spring urging the cam in theposition of retaining the shaft of the key in the slot, and a spring forejecting the shaft of the key when the shaft is released by manuallysliding the cam, the .head

of said key having a flat side and the said fiat side of the head of thekey being positioned to be engaged by the spring by which the shaft ofthe key is ejected to retain the shaft in an extended position.

2. In a key case, the combination which comprises a body having openslots therein, keys having heads with extended shafts pivotally mountedthrough the heads in the said slots, cams positioned in the slots andslidably mounted in the body, and springs with extended ends secured inthe slots and positioned with one of the ends thereof engaging the camsto urge the cams in the positions of retaining the shafts of the keys inthe slots and with the other of the ends positioned to urge the shaftsof the keys outwardly when released by the cams.

3. In a key case, the combination which comprises a body having openslots therein, keys having heads with extended shafts pivotally mountedthrough the heads in the said slots, cams positioned in the slots andslidably mounted in the body, and springs with extended ends secured inthe slots and positioned withone :of the ends thereof engaging the camsto urge the cams in the positions of retaining the shafts of the keys inthe slots and .with the other of the .ends positioned to urge the shaftsof the keys outwardly when released by .the cams, ,said body havingmeans limiting outward movementof `the cams.

KENNETH WAYLAND GOODSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,573,723 Long Feb. 16, Y19261,642,791 Skorepa Sept. 2,0, '1927 1,998,799 Woina, et al Apr. 23, 19352,295,123 Mudrich Sept. Y8, 1942 2,451,056 Berger et al Oct. ,12, 19482,560,595 Poncar July,17,195l 2,593,441 Hager et al Apr- 22, 1952

